Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1887-07-08
PART L-CHAPTER ~.


and bluff Captain Willis had been S,
long in the coastwise trade, had for S,
many years sailed his own vessels anC
purchased and disposed of his freights
and had such rare combination of bust
ness shrewdness with good seamanship,
that those who knew him thought that he
must have much wealth laid up. Blu
the fact was that nobody knew tho
Captain very we'll; and as he was ac
customed to keep his own counsels, al
that was said about his possession:
was based on guesses, and not on
knowledge.
The experience of Captain Willis
covered many years and embraced
many voyages; but something quite
uncommon had occurred upon the
present trip. When he cast anchor in
Havana harbor, more than two weeks
before, he found himself almost with
out crew, A storm off Hatteras. UNI
usual at this season of the year, had
severely tried his staunch vessel; and
though she rode it out in safety, it was
with the loss Of three able seamen who
fell overheard In the gale,
Before the coast of Cuba was sighted
five more men were taken down almost
in day with malignant fever One
died in a few hours, the other four
were sent to the hospital as soon as the
anchor was dropped in the harbor.
Short-handed as he was left, 1t had
been with the greatest difficulty that
Captain Willis had been able to work
his ship in, and now came the crown
ing calamity of the voyage. Sailors
are proverbially superstitious, and the
occurrences of this passage had made
deep impression upon the re-
mainder of the crew of the "Nel-
lie Willis" The Captain observed
whisperings and consultations among
them, and though they worked faith
fully taking in tho return cargo, he
could see that there was trouble bpew,
ing. Two days before September i,
when the freight of tobacco and mo-
lasses was all stored below, five of the
seamcn came aft, and one of them, cap
in hand, addressed him. The spokes-
man said that he and his mates had
made up their minds that the "Nellie"
had become an unlucky ship, and that
they dared not return to Boston in her.
They had worked the ship faithfully on
the VOYAGE down. and they asked to be
paid off for the half-voyagc, and dis
charged.
Captain Willis was the very last man
afloat who would tolerate any conduct
of this kind from his sailors. He
stcrnly ordered them back to their
duty. telling them that they had shipped
for the whole voyage. and the whole
voyage they must make. He added in
significant way that such msn ocGld
not be trusted with shore leave, and
that they must stay on board till tho
ANCHOR was up again.
The Captain flattered himself that he
had settled the matter by his firm
words and decided way; but he did not
know the spirit of these men. They
had determined that they would never
return to Boston on the "Nellie. That
night the whole five tried to swim
ashore. Two were carried out to sea
by the swift current and drowned;
the mangled body of another was
found floating the next morning, al
most bitten in two by u shark; as the
other two were not heard of again, it
was never known whether they
reached the quay safely, or whether
they succumbed to some Of the many
perils of this harbor.
Captain Willis now found himself
reduced to his mate. Ben Hardy, the
cook, and single seaman, beside his
nephew, who knew nothing about
working the ship. In no pleasant
frame of mind, he went ashore and of
fered large premium to a shipping
agent to procure him a crew immedi-
ately. The agent promised to do his
best, and went to work. The same
evening he visited the Captain on
board his vessel
"It's no use, sir" he said. "I've
found dozen able seamen in Havana
who wantto ship; but one and all fatty
refuse to sail with you"
"What do the rascals mean?' the
Captain demanded. Z
"Why, the truth is, sir, the story
about your bark being unlucky has
been spread all over, and they won't
60 in herr
"The idiots!'' shouted Captain Willis,
stamping about his cabin. 1--WE sailed
this bark for more than dozen years,
and nothing has gone .amiss until this
voyage, Never lost man overheard
before; never had more than day
sickness before"
"Wel, sir, you know what sailors
are better than do. Those fellows de-
sorting, and at least three of 'em get
ting wound up at it, has fixed the
thing, so there's no use in my talking
about it. I'll try and get you a picked
up lot, of all sorts; but better than that
l can't do"
The Captain ragged and stormed at
the idea of his going back to Boston
with crew of 'fore-the-masters; but
he had to yield to the inevitable, and
the agent went ashore with instruc-
tons to do the best he could
All the next day the agent was
bringing out to the bark BY ones and
twos the newly-shipped crew, until
eleven had been secured. The Cap
tain examined each man, and his
temper was by no means improved
when he found that there was not one
able seaman among the lot. There
were four negroes, powerful, ulusou-
lar fellows, who had been working as
stevedores, and who had made up their
minds that they would like sea-voy-
age. They carried clasp-kniyes in their
Wristbands, and were not very pleas
ant lot to look at. Four more were
depraved-looking Creoles, the very
dregS of the Spanish population, with
four as Misunderstanding faces as
were ever seen aboard ship. Two
more we're Vnorant stoWayavs who